Renters beware!
Posted Nov 9, 2010 3:38 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Calgary police have received at least six complaints about a new on-line rental scam on the popular website Kijiji.
A legitimate ad for a four-bedroom home on Mount Aberdeen Grove in the southeast was copied from another advertisement, but with only a few basic details and a drastically lower rental price, making it more attractive.
At least six people emailed enquiries to the fraudulent poster about renting the property, with one person even wiring a $600 damage deposit.
“It’s too good to be true, it’s too good to be true,” says Robin Furlong, the legitimate landlord who says when he found out about the fake ad he went online to check it out. His ad had only 72 hits in two weeks, while the fraudelent ad had over 800 in two days. He says he was surprised and just hopes people are careful when looking at on-line rental ads.
“Any legitimate landlord will accomodate you,” Furlong tells 660News. “If there’s something about the deal that doesn’t seem right, ask questions. You’re a renter and a potential customer.”
Furlong says the victims were not mad at him. They were just embarrassed they had been taken for a ride.
Police believe the con artist operates out New York State.
“If you’re renting, meet the landlord,” Constable Martin West tells 660News, adding that you should never wire money to a foreign country unless you know where it’s headed.
Spelling mistakes are also often an indicator the advertisement is less than legitimate.
